Self-inflating impact-absorbing bag for vehicles

ABSTRACT

A vehicle safety device having normally contracted protective bags installed in a vehicle at convenient locations and which is adapted so that upon the occurrence of a collision of the vehicle a noninflammable gas generating medium produces and delivers a gas into the protective bags to inflate them, thus providing shock-absorbing cushions between passengers or other objects and rigid vehicle parts.

United States Patent Kushnick [451 Feb. 22, 1972 SELF-INFLATINGIMPACT-ABSORBING BAG FOR VEHICLES Julian H. Kushnick, Brooklyn, NY.

Allied Chemical Corporation, New York, NY.

Filed: Aug. 11, 1970 Appl. No.: 63,196

Inventor:

Assignee:

US. Cl. ..280/ 150 AB, 220/47 Int. Cl. ..B60r 21/10 Field of Search.280/ 150 AB, 150 B; 180/90; 200/31 SR, 47, 36; 23/281; 9/316, 11 A;141/4, 1,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1961 Rose ..222/394X l/l966McKiever ..222/394 3,309,109 3/1967 Baughman ..220/47 3,425,712 2/1969Berryman.... 280/150 AB 3,430,979 3/1969 Terry et al. ..9/11 A 3,450,4146/1969 Kobori ..2s0/1s0 AB FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 896,31211/1953 Germany ..2s0/150 AB Primary Examiner-Kenneth H. BettsAttorney-Jonathan Plant [57] ABSTRACT A vehicle safety device havingnormally contracted protective bags installed in a vehicle at convenientlocations and which is adapted so that upon the occurrence of acollision of the vehicle a noninflammable gas generating medium producesand delivers a gas into the protective bags to inflate them, thusproviding shock-absorbing cushions between passengers or other objectsand rigid vehicle parts.

13 Claims, 2 Drawing Flgures lMPACT SENSITI DEVICE PATENTEB FEB22 I972 1i .J 4 WK f// 6 IMPACT DEVICE SENSITIVE INVENTCR JL J LIAN H.KUSHNICK ATTORNEY SELF-INFLATING IMPACT-ABSORBING BAG FOR VEHICLES Inflatableconfinements for controlling movement of an occupant of a vehicle duringa collision are well known. Such a confinement is disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 3,450,414, for example. Briefly stated, the inflatable confinementsof the prior art generally include a flexible protective bag connectedto a gas supply which is activated to direct a high-pressure gas to thebag in response to the functioning of an impact-detecting unit. However,such systems, which are generally intended for, but are not limited to,use in motor vehicles, have been known to possess certain practicaldisadvantages in providing an impact-absorbing device for thepassengers. For example, they require a separate high-pressure storagecontainer for the high-pressure gas supply and special valves to directthe highpressure gas to the protective bag. In addition, when it isdesired to locate a protective bag separate and apart from thehigh-pressure gas source, special piping is required to direct the gasunder pressure to the protective bags. It is also preferable toeliminate or minimize the use of seams in the bags to reduce hardenedareas in the bag and construction costs.

Briefly stated, the present invention resides in the provision of asafety device having normally deflated bags installed in a vehicle atconvenient locations where they may provide maximum protection to thepassengers, as for example in the instrument panel of a motor vehicle.In one embodiment, the bags are enclosed in an elongatedpressure-resistant enclosure having a rectangular cross section. Theenclosure has hinged covers which may be held closed for example, byimpact sensitive latches which may be programmed to open automaticallythrough a suitable impact-sensing device upon impact of the vehicle orupon an excessive deceleration thereof. For example, in an automobile,the impact-sensing device may be located on or near the vehicle bumperso that on impact a signal results in the opening of the latches of theenclosure covers. The bags, which are normally contained within theenclosure in a folded condition, are filled with a medium capable ofgenerating a gas for example, when the latches are released and thehinged covers are permitted to open. Thus when the covers open and thepressure caused by the closed enclosure and folded bag on the gasgenerating medium is relieved, the gas generating material supplies agas into the protective bags which it already occupies and each bag isexpanded as it is filled with the gas. As an alternative to releasedpressure or where the gas generating medium does not supply a gaseousmixture to the bag with sufficient speed, heat sources or other suitablesources of energy may be included within the enclosure whereby theenergy source may enhance the formation of the gaseous medium as it isdirected into and expands the bag. Such energy sources may for example,be actuated to provide energy to the gas generating medium by the samesignal which is utilized to release the housing cover latches.

When a signal is generated by the impact sensing device and directed tothe latches of the enclosure covers to release them and to activate theenergy source, the medium within the folded bags begins to generate agaseous medium into the bags to expand the bags between the housing andthe passengers. The impact sensing device for example, may be programmedto detect vehicle deceleration in g (acceleration due to gravity) ofsufficient magnitude to cause physical harm to the passengers and togenerate a signal which is transmitted to the housing cover latches andthe energy source.

The expansion of the bag when the vehicle undergoes a collision, willprovide a restraint to hold the passengers in place.

The present invention utilizes, in one embodiment, a unique flexibleinexpensive nylon film to form a seamless resilient bag, which providesinexpensive, maximum cushioning to the passengers against impact andwhich minimizes the possibility of injury to the passengers.

Consequently it is an object of the present invention to provide asafety device for vehicle passengers with which it is possible toprotect the lives of the passengers in the event of a crash.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a safety devicefor vehicle passengers embodying a deflated bag in an enclosure in whicha gas-producing medium is contained and which enclosure has doors whichautomatically open upon impact of the vehicle or upon excessivedeceleration thereof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a safety devicefor vehicle passengers embodying a seamless, nylon film bag.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent from the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a deflated impact-absorbing bag withinan enclosure in a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the impact-absorbing bag inflated andsupporting a passenger in the normal seated position.

With reference to the drawings of one embodiment the present inventionwill be described in detail. Referring to FIG. 1 the preferredembodiment comprises a deflated impact-absorbing bag 5 preferably of asoft, flexible, tough, resilient material as for example, nylon (Capran)film. The material should be substantially tear resistant and capable ofretaining its strength for extended periods in a folded condition withinan enclosure 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1. A gas-producing medium 2 islocated within the folded bag 5. The medium must be capable of remainingin a contained condition, as shown in FIG. 1, by the pressure createdthereon by the folded bag and the closed enclosure 10, utilizing hingedenclosure covers 3, which are held closed by the impact-operated latches4. The gas-producing medium 2 must be capable of spontaneouslygenerating a gas to fill the deflated bag 5 when the latches 4 arereleased by a signal from an impact-sensitive device 7 and the hingedenclosure covers 3 are permitted to open. The gasproducing medium 2, maybe a fluorinated hydrocarbon, such as Genetron 12. In the use offluorinated hydrocarbon, the enclosure must be adequately sealed tostore the hydrocarbon in its liquid form over a long period of time. Themedium 2 must be capable of producing a gas when the hinged enclosurecovers 3 are released, and it must be capable of being confined underthe pressure created by the bag 5 and the pressurercsistant enclosure 1.In certain cases, where the time required to generate a gas into the bagis not sufficiently quick to expand the bag and cause it to be capableof absorbing the momentum of the passenger of a vehicle involved in acollision, a supplemental energy, or heat source 6 may be provided withthe gas producing medium 2 as is shown in FIG. 1. Thus the additionalenergy source may decrease the time required for the gas-producingmedium 2 to generate a gas sufficient to fill the bag. For example, itis known that the bag must expand to a size sufficient to absorb themomentum of a passenger or object in approximately 0.060 second at a 30mile per hour barrier impact velocity. The additional energy source 6,which may for example, be a heat-generating device which is actuated bythe same signal as the original signal used to release the hinged coverlatches 4, will serve to reduce the time required to generate the gasrequired to fill the bag.

Also, it is significant that the material used to make the bag, such asnylon film of a thickness in the range of said I to 5 mils, besubstantially resistant to permeability by the gas producing medium 2when it is in contact therewith over extended periods of time.

When a vehicle undergoes a collision causing a deceleration sufficientto cause physical harm to the passengers the impactsensitive device 7creates a signal which is transmitted to the enclosure cover latches 4releasing them and permitting the enclosure covers to open. The signalmay also be transmitted to the energy source 6 to activate it togenerate an additional supply of energy for example in the form of heat,to decrease the time required by the gas producing medium 2 to generatea gas. When the hinged covers 3 are released and permitted to open, thepressure of the enclosure and bag on the gas producing medium 2 isreleased and the medium generates a gas into the bag 5, therebyexpanding it. The bag which expands between the enclosure 1 and thepassenger 8 as is shown in FIG. 2, may have valve ports 9 or holes forexample, provided in the surface to increase the energy absorptionqualities of the bag, since the holes will facilitate deflation of thebag.

The impact-sensitive device 7 must be programmed to detect vehicledecelerations of sufficient g which would otherwise cause injury to thepassengers of the vehicle in the absence of the present invention.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the appended claims.

The invention, therefore, is to be limited only as indicated by thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a safety device for vehicle passengers, the combinationcomprising:

a. a flexible, resilient, deflated bag, said bag being capable of beingfully expanded when filled with a gaseous medib. a pressure-resistantclosed enclosure for said bag; and

c. a noninflarnmable gas producing medium contained within the foldedbag, said medium being capable of generating an expanding gas into saidbag when the enclosure is opened, thus facilitating expansion of saidbag.

2. The invention as described in claim 1 wherein the pressure resistantenclosure has covers thereon which may be opened.

3. The invention as described in claim 2 wherein the pressure-resistantenclosure is elongated and has a rectangular cross section.

4. The invention as described in claim 3 wherein the pressure-resistantenclosure covers are hinged, said covers being held closed during normaloperation of the vehicle by releasable impact sensitive latches.

5. The invention as described in claim 4 wherein said impact-sensitivelatches are released by a signal generated by at least oneimpact-sensitive device in the vehicle.

6. The invention as described in claim 5 wherein said bag is constructedof nylon film.

7. The invention as described in claim 6 wherein said bag is seamless.

8. The invention as described in claim 7 wherein the noninflammable gasgenerating medium is a fluorinated hydrocarborn.

9. The invention as described in claim 8 wherein said bag is ofsufficient size to fill the space between said enclosure and thepassenger when fully expanded to facilitate absorption of impact of thepassenger.

10. The invention as described in claim 9 wherein said bag is providedwith means on the surface to permit deflation to facilitate improvedshock absorption capability of said bag.

11. The invention as described in claim 10 wherein said means to permitdeflation comprises valve ports.

12. The invention as described in claim 5, further comprisingheat-generating means within said enclosure, responsive to said signalfor aiding in the generation of gas.

13. In a safety device for motor vehicle passengers, the combinationcomprising:

a. a flexible, resilient, deflated bag of nylon film said bag havingseamless construction;

pressure-resistant a oressure-resistant enclosure for said bag;

c. hinged covers for said pressure-resistant enclosure, said hingedcovers being held closed by releasable impact-sensitive latches;

d. at least one impact-sensitive device to provide a signal to releasesaid latches;

e. a noninflammable gas producing fluorinated hydrocarbon within the bagfor generating a gaseous medium therein and expanding the bag when thehinged enclosure covers are released;

f. an energy source activated by said impact-sensitive device when asignal is generated therein of sufficient magnitude to release saidhinged cover latches; and g. heat-generating means within said enclosureresponsive to said signal for aiding in the generation of gas from thefluorinated hydrocarbon.

1. In a safety device for vehicle passengers, the combinationcomprising: a. a flexible, resilient, deflated bag, said bag beingcapable of being fully expanded when filled with a gaseous medium; b. apressure-resistant closed enclosure for said bag; and c. anoninflammable gas producing medium contained within the folded bag,said medium being capable of generating an expanding gas into said bagwhen the enclosure is opened, thus facilitating expansion of said bag.2. The invention as described in claim 1 wherein the pressure resistantenclosure has covers thereon which may be opened.
 3. The invention asdescribed in claim 2 wherein the pressure-resistant enclosure iselongated and has a rectangular cross section.
 4. The invention asdescribed in claim 3 wherein the pressure-resistant enclosure covers arehinged, said covers being held closed during normal operation of thevehicle by releasable impact sensitive latches.
 5. The invention asdescribed in claim 4 wherein said impact-sensitive latches are releasedby a signal generated by at least one impact-sensitive device in thevehicle.
 6. The invention as described in claim 5 wherein said bag isconstructed of nylon film.
 7. The invention as described in claim 6wherein said bag is seamless.
 8. The invention as described in claim 7wherein the noninflammable gas generating medium is a fluorinatedhydrocarbon.
 9. The invention as described in claim 8 wherein said bagis of sufficient size to fill the space between said enclosure and thepassenger when fully expanded to facilitate absorption of impact of thepassenger.
 10. The invention as described in claim 9 whErein said bag isprovided with means on the surface to permit deflation to facilitateimproved shock absorption capability of said bag.
 11. The invention asdescribed in claim 10 wherein said means to permit deflation comprisesvalve ports.
 12. The invention as described in claim 5, furthercomprising heat-generating means within said enclosure, responsive tosaid signal for aiding in the generation of gas.
 13. In a safety devicefor motor vehicle passengers, the combination comprising: a. a flexible,resilient, deflated bag of nylon film said bag having seamlessconstruction; pressure-resistant a oressure-resistant enclosure for saidbag; c. hinged covers for said pressure-resistant enclosure, said hingedcovers being held closed by releasable impact-sensitive latches; d. atleast one impact-sensitive device to provide a signal to release saidlatches; e. a noninflammable gas producing fluorinated hydrocarbonwithin the bag for generating a gaseous medium therein and expanding thebag when the hinged enclosure covers are released; f. an energy sourceactivated by said impact-sensitive device when a signal is generatedtherein of sufficient magnitude to release said hinged cover latches;and g. heat-generating means within said enclosure responsive to saidsignal for aiding in the generation of gas from the fluorinatedhydrocarbon.